


Payback

by stiless__halee



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Beach Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Imprinting (Twilight), Insecurity, Out of Character Bella Swan, Outdoor Sex, Revenge Sex, cliff diving, unhealthy relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:08:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25668700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stiless__halee/pseuds/stiless__halee
Summary: “Do you to hang out with me?” He asks. His voice drops lower, and Bella gets the feeling that he’s asking for more than just spending time at the beach.Her heart hammers in her chest, and for a second, she’s ready to say no, but then she remembers seeing Jacob step out of the trees with Sam Uley. She was hurt when she realized he was pretending to be sick, so he could avoid seeing her. Now, she has the chance to hurt him in the same way.Bella nods her head.---Bella has revenge sex. That's it. That's the fanfic.
Relationships: Jacob Black & Bella Swan, Past Bella Swan / Edward Cullen, Paul Lahote/Bella Swan
Comments: 11
Kudos: 172





	1. Chapter 1

Bella’s hands shake as she sits in her car, parked in front of Jacob’s house. The bravery that carried her out of Forks and into La Push has left her, and now she’s frozen in her seat, unable to force herself out of the car and unable to force herself to drive back home. Eventually, she clambers out the truck and trudges towards the Blacks’ front door. She’s halfway there when boisterous laughter catches her attention. She turns, heart dropping to her stomach when she sees Jacob stepping out of the treeline with Sam Uley, Embry, and two other men.

Jacob freezes when he spots her, his entire body going stiff and his face pinching in that way it always does when he feels guilty.

She thought she was ready to confront him on his lies, but seeing him in person is hurting her in a way that she didn't anticipate.

“I thought you were sick,” Bella says. She folds her arms across her chest, hoping she looks nonchalant despite the fact that she feels seconds away from crying. Or vomiting.

Sam says something in a low voice, and Jacob’s face goes blank. 

“Look, I just can’t hang out with you right now.” He responds. His voice lacks the usual warmth it has when he talks to her. 

Bella’s eyes flit back and forth between Jacob and Sam, who’s hovering over the younger boy like an overprotective father. She can feel her lips twist into a frown. She remembers the rumors about Sam Uley, the man who was recruiting high school kids into his gang.

“But you can hang out with Sam,” she spits.

Her eyes focus on the older man, who’s already turning to make a joke with someone as if he isn’t tearing her best friend away from her. She looks at Jake, who’s avoiding her gaze.

“Jake, c’mon,” she tries, softening her voice. “This isn’t you.”

One of the guys barks out a laugh, dropping a muscular arm across Jacob’s shoulder.

“Listen, sweetheart, this is exactly who he is,” he drawls.

He glances down at her, and their eyes meet for a brief moment. Bella’s struck by how good looking he is, with a sculpted jaw and eyes that seem to be laughing. He holds himself with the type of arrogance that immediately makes her want to gag.

The guy’s face goes lax for a second, staring at Bella as if he's dumbstruck. After a moment of awkward silence, he blinks, slow and lazy as if he's coming out of a long nap. Jacob is staring at him, mouth agape, and eyes wide open.

“Paul,” Jacob says, his tone equal parts alarmed and confused.

The guy, Paul, doesn’t respond. Instead, he fixes Bella with another intense look, lifting one eyebrow and leaning forward so that his face is only inches from hers.

“Look, this pup can’t hang out with you right now. But I could show you a good–”

Bella’s palm connects with his cheek. The sound echoes around the Blacks’ front lawn, and the group of guys standing with Sam fall silent. Paul blinks dumbly at Bella, his hand absentmindedly touching his face. He doesn't look fazed by the slap even though Bella's hand is throbbing in pain.

“If you pull your head out of your ass, call me,” Bella says to Jacob before stomping to her truck.

She climbs inside, trying not to look at her former best friend or Sam or anyone else standing out there with them.

Unwilling to return to Forks and sit inside of a quiet, empty house, Bella drives around aimlessly. She's still shocked that Jacob has been avoiding her to spend time with Sam Uley. After he spent all that time criticizing Embry for ditching him to hang out with the older man, he’s now following the creep around like a lost puppy. It doesn’t make any sense.

Bella pulls into the La Push Beach parking lot, easing into an empty spot before climbing out of the car and heading down to the water. The persistent Washington State rain has died off, but the sand is still damp and the sky and is still flat and gray with the promise of another downpour.

She finds a log somewhere near the water and collapses onto it.

A few seconds later, she feels someone settle in next to her. She turns her head, shocked to see Paul.

“What do you want?” she asks.

“I thought you wanted someone to hang out with,” he says. He turns his head and she doesn’t miss the way his eyes travel up and down her figure.

Bella suddenly remembers Embry and Jacob talking about Paul, calling him the man-whore of La Push. The memory makes her flush. Jacob had hated Paul almost as much as he hated Sam.

“Do you to hang out with me?” He asks. His voice drops lower, and Bella gets the feeling that he’s asking for more than just spending time at the beach.

Her heart hammers in chest, and for a second, she’s ready to say no, but then she remembers seeing Jacob step out of the trees with Sam Uley. She was hurt when she realized he was pretending to be sick, so he could avoid hurting her. Now, she had the chance to hurt him in the same way.

Bella nods her head. She thinks back to the times at school when she would see Jessica or some other girl flirting with a guy. She tries to mimic their behavior. She scoots closer to Paul so the sides of their bodies are pressed together. Her hand finds its way to his wrist, her thumb swiping along the smooth skin.

“We can hang out,” she says.

Paul’s hand cups her jaw. He moves slowly, his nose bumping hers before their lips connect. Kissing him is completely different than kissing Edward. Everywhere they touch, heat blooms across her skin.

Bella can’t keep her hands still. She drags them over the broad expanse of his shoulders, loving the way his muscles flex beneath her fingertips. Her hands drop lower, and the nail of her pointer finger catches on one of Paul’s nipples. The action tears a growl from his throat. In response, his teeth clamp down on her bottom lip, sending jolts of electricity racing down her spine.

He pulls her into his lap, his own hands reaching underneath her hoodie. She jumps when his palms connect with the smooth skin of her stomach. Before she knows it, they’re sliding underneath her t-shirt and bra, touching her in places Edward had never dared. She shivers when his fingers tug at one of her nipples.

“Paul,” she breaths against his lips.

He moans something back in reply, shifting so that she can feel his bulge through his shorts. The action sends her crashing back to reality. Her eyes snap open. She’s straddling him on the log, in broad daylight in the middle of the beach. In the distance, she can see a group of people walking along the shore, and she knows that if they come closer it’ll be obvious what she and Paul have been doing.

Paul’s lips settle on the curve of her neck. Despite the wave of pleasure that crashes over her when his tongue swipes along the skin, she forces herself to push away from him.

The movement causes Paul to lift his head so he can look at her.

“What’s wrong?” He asks.

Her body flushes at the sight of him looking up at her with those glassy eyes and swollen lips.

She can’t think clearly, much less come up with a coherent sentence. Rather than respond, she climbs off of him, trying to ignore the way she can see him tenting his pants.

“I just–” she starts, unable to finish. Her hand flails in the air, hoping to convey a message that her mouth can’t.

Paul lifts an eyebrow.

“We just shouldn’t right now and here and...” her words trail off.

Paul glances further down the beach at the teenagers, who’re still heading towards them.

“We can always go somewhere private,” Paul suggests. The corner of his mouth quirks upwards into a suggestive smile.

Bella bites her lip. She hadn’t meant to suggest a location change. She just wanted to put more space between them, so she could clear her head. Making out with Paul to get back at Jacob was one thing, but fooling around with Paul was another. Besides, they were in public. What would her father think if found out that his daughter was messing around with a member of Sam Uley’s gang while at a beach?

Paul leans forward so that he can reach out and place a hand on her thigh. His thumb rests right below the curve of her hip, and she knows if he were to move it by a centimeter, he would be able to press the digit against her––

“We can go somewhere private,” She says.

He grins, pulling her away from the beach and into the treeline. From here, they can see anyone walking on the beach, while staying hidden from view.

The rational part of her wants to scream in frustration. Messing around in the woods wasn’t too much better than messing around on the beach. She should just leave. She’d gone far enough with Paul that if word got back to Jacob about their hookup, he’d be pissed. She didn’t need to go any further.

Still, now that she knows what if feels like to have Paul's body pressed against hers, she's curious to find just how far he's willing to take their hookup. 

As if he can read her mind, Paul tugs Bella towards him, spinning her so that her back is against a tree. His lips find hers again. This time instead of letting her wrap her legs around his waist, he presses his thigh between her legs. Unable to help the way her body is reacting to him, she grinds down on his muscular leg, gasping at the little jolt of pleasure that flares up in her belly in response. The action is addictive. She finds herself moving faster, chasing the waves of pleasure that keep growing stronger and stronger.

“Look at you,” Paul murmurs, his eyes roaming over her body. He looks fascinated by her half-lidded eyes and her mouth that’s releasing little gasps of air.

He lifts her hoodie up, pulling with it her shirt and bra so that her breasts are exposed to the chilly afternoon air. She shivers, partly from the cold and partly from the way he’s looking at her. 

Paul dips his head down so he can drag his tongue across one of her hardened nipples. She moans, the sound echoing around them. For a second, she’s worried that someone might hear, but then Paul’s mouth envelops her breast and all rational thoughts flee from her mind.

“Paul,” she whines. She grinds down on him harder, unable to find a release from this position.

He must be a mind reader because in seconds, his hands are unbuttoning her jeans. His middle finger dips inside the waistband of her panties and she gasps when it slips between the fold of her lips. She’s already wet, and when his finger brushes against her clit, she has to bite down on her lip to keep her moan quiet.

Paul sets a brutal pace. His fingers rub against her so quickly, that she can’t think. All she can do is rock against him, her own fingers tugging on his hair as he sucks a bruise onto the skin above her breast. His other hand shoves her jeans down so they’re bunched around her knees. The action requires a little shuffling around, and she almost whines when he takes a step back, removing his warmth from her body.

Before she can complain, he’s lifting his head from her chest to press his lips against hers. His left hand is still abusing her clit and his right is now parting her thighs so he can press two of those fingers inside of her. He crooks his fingers, hitting something inside of her that makes her see stars.

She’s so wet that the sound of his two fingers thrusting in and out are all she can hear. The noises are only adding to her pleasure, and soon she’s whispering Paul’s name, begging for more as each thrust of his fingers causes her toes to curl. His other hand is still toying with her clit at a pace so intense that it has tears coming to her eyes.

“Please,please,please,please,” she’s begging him. Her hips are grinding down on his hands, and she’s tugging on his hair so hard that it has to be hurting him.

He bites down on her bottom lip, at the same time that a third finger slips inside her. A wave of euphoria comes crashing down onto her so hard that her vision blanks out for a second. She can’t even hold herself up. She’s leaning completely onto Paul as her orgasm washes over her. Every inch of her body feels like it’s been lit on fire. She’s moaning so loud now that even if the people on the beach can’t see her, they’ll definitely be able to hear her.

Eventually, her heart slows down and she’s able to catch her breath. She watches Paul as he brings his right hand up to his mouth, his cheeks hollowing out as he tastes her juices on his fingers. The sight has her getting horny again, and she leans forward to pull him into a kiss, so she can taste herself on his lips. The kiss starts out frenzied, but eventually slows down with Paul cupping her face in both of his hands as if he's cradling something precious.

When they pull apart, she's shocked to see that the sunlight is already beginning to fade.

“Oh shoot, I have to get home,” she hisses.

She tugs her jeans up buttoning them in a hurry before rearranging her hoodie, so it doesn't look like she's just been groped in the woods.

Paul watches her the entire time, that intense look never leaving his eyes.

“We should hang out more often,” he suggests.

Bella feels pinned beneath his gaze. She should say no. She isn’t the type of girl who hooks up with guys she doesn’t know in the woods. But then again, what’s the harm? He makes her feel good, and if Jake won’t hang out with her...

“Okay,” she says.

Paul nods his head. He offers his hand to her, helping her step over the uneven forest floor. She expects him to drop her hand once they're back on the beach, but instead he tightens his grip.

“Let's do something tomorrow,” Paul suggests as they get closer to the beach exit.

Bella nods her head. It isn’t like she has anyone else to hang out with. “Tomorrow,” she agrees.

As they exit the beach and head to the parking lot, Bella spots Jacob leaning against the cab of her truck. His nose wrinkles when he sees that Paul’s with her, and his discomfort only adds to her satisfaction. Good. She wants him to hurt.

Bella turns to Paul and pulls him down into a kiss. From the way his hand palms her ass, she knows that it’s very clear what the two of them were doing before they ran into Jacob. When they separate, Bella glances over at her former best-friend, who’s pointedly staring at his shoes instead of their public display of affection.

“Thanks for hanging out with me Paul,” she says, giving his hand a quick squeeze before stepping to her car.

“Bella, can we talk?” Jacob asks once she’s opening the car door. His eyes are flitting between Paul and Bella as if he's contemplating a difficult math problem.

“Charlie’s waiting for me,” she responds. She keeps the sentence short, knowing that if she says anything else to him she’ll end up yelling or even worse crying.

Before he can ask another question, she climbs inside the car and slams the door shut behind her. She pulls out of the parking lot as fast as her car will allow, her eyes glued to the rear view mirror, where she can see Paul and Jacob still standing there. She watches them until she rounds a corner and they disappear from view.

Guilt starts to swirl in her stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul and Bella go cliff diving.

Paul sits on the edge of the blanket trying to look more relaxed than he feels. Bella sits across from him with a glass of juice in one hand and a half eaten apple in the other. Her face is turned towards the water. She looks pensive as if she’s not really here with Paul, but instead, thousands of miles away.

He has the urge to touch her to make sure she’s not an apparition or a figment of his imagination.

“Bella,” he murmurs.

She startles, juice sloshing over the rim of her glass and spattering onto the picnic blanket. It’s a little endearing.

Paul bites into his sandwich to keep himself from gagging. He’s never been the type of guy to sit around staring at a girl and thinking mushy thoughts. He’s always been disinterested in relationships and attachments, but now look at him, one lousy imprint and he’s suddenly a big romantic.

“Sorry did you say something?” She asks.

Paul swallows around the mouthful of food. “What do you normally do for fun?” He repeats himself.

“Oh, I hang out –I used to hang out with Jacob,” she responds, her voice hardening.

“Right,” Paul says. He puts his sandwich back down onto his plate and sprawls out onto the blanket. He should’ve known.

Everything with Bella is Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. The poor pup is still forbidden from seeing her, so as far she knows, he’s just an asshole who’s avoiding hanging out with her. Everytime he sees Bella, she asks him about Jacob. Everytime he sees Jacob, the pup asks about Bella. All they want to do is talk about each other.

“C’mon, you have to have some kind of hobby,” Paul says, hoping to figure out more about her. Or at least something he can learn on his own and not through the memories Jacob is constantly replaying while they’re out on patrol.

Bella hums, her fingers drumming against the glass.

“I’ve always wanted to go cliff diving,” Bella says. 

Paul perks up. She’s looking at him with that sheepish look she always puts on when she knows she’s said something that’s gotten his attention. It’s the same look she gave him last night before asking him if he wanted to stay the night since Charlie was working the overnight shift.

“Cliff diving?” Paul asks.

“Why not?” She shoots back.

She tilts her head back, tossing down the contents of the juice. The action exposes the smooth expanse of her neck and without thinking Paul leans forward to press his lips against it. She laughs.

“Let’s go,” he murmurs.

“Go where?”

“Cliff diving.”

She laughs and helps him pack up the picnic things and tuck it away behind a rock where no one will find it. Paul loves seeing her like this, excited and giddy and filled with emotion for once. It’s in these moments that she looks whole instead of like a broken girl pining after some bloodsucker or a pup who can barely go two seconds without whining about her.

He can’t help but stare at her as they make their way up the lower edge of the cliff. Bella’s peering over the edge to glance down at the water. Her lips are twisted into a mischievous smile that makes Paul wonder what she would be like if she let her hair down like this more often.

“You’re beautiful, you know?” Paul says, the words slipping out before he can catch them.

Bella looks at him, eyes crinkled. “Sure,” she says.

He wants to argue, but she’s already peeling off her clothes and his mind has suddenly lost the ability to form a coherent thought. It doesn’t help that the air is cooler up here, so she’s moving closer to him.

“You’re staring,” Bella says. She folds her arms across her body.

He smiles. “Yeah, I am,” he teases her, making a show of looking her up and down. Her cheeks flush pink and he leans in to kiss her forehead.

It’s the first time he’s displayed such a casual touch of intimacy. He can feel her stiffen beneath him, and he pulls away.

Bella’s eyes are fixed on some point in the distance as if she’s trying her hardest not to look directly at him.

Paul tugs off his shorts and shirt, trying not to think too hard about her change in demeanor. Switchups like this feel commonplace when they’re together. She’ll flip flop between hot and cold, opening and aloof as if she doesn’t want to get too close to him.

“Ready?” He asks once he’s down to nothing but his briefs.

She glances at him, her cheeks flushing again as she nods her head.

He scoops her hand up in his and leads her towards the edge, taking off to get a running start. She speeds up to match him, and when they leap over the edge, she lets out a loud whoop that sends his heart soaring.

Paul feels as though their descent happens in slow motion. As they fall towards the water, Bella’s fingers grip his tighter. At one point, she’s holding on so tightly that he’s convinced she’ll crush his bones. 

When they crash through the water, Paul’s still staring at her.

Salt water rushes up his nose, and his eyes sting from the burn of the ocean. When he resurfaces, he sputters, coughing to clear his lungs.

His eyes glance around, but Bella is still under the water.

“Bella,” he calls out.

The water pushes him closer to the shore.

He swivels his head around, convinced for a moment that she might’ve moved further out, but there’s no sign of Bella anywhere.

“Bella,” he calls out again.

His heart hammers in his chest. He can feel himself breathing harder. Shit. Was she still underwater?

“Bella!”

A head breaks the surface of the water. Brown hair is tossed back to reveal a grinning face, flushed pink from exertion.

“Holy shit,” she gasps.

“Bella, what the fuck,” Paul sighs, half pissed and half relieved. He swims over to her using his hands to check her face.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“That was fucking amazing,” she says. Her eyes widen when she realizes she’s cursed, and despite his panic, Paul can’t help the laugh that comes out of his mouth.

“Who knew you had such a potty mouth?” he teases her.

His hands wrap around her middle to pull her closer to him. She looks up at him through her long eyelashes, and like a sap he can feel his heart skip a beat. Damn, this imprint has him whipped.

Bella’s arms wrap themselves around Pauls’ neck pulling him close so that their chests are pressed against each other. He drags his nose across her hairline before pressing another kiss to forehead.

When she melts into the touch, he feels as if nothing could ruin his good mood.

“Jacob told me he was going to take me cliff diving one day,” Bella murmurs.

Except that.

The pup wasn’t even here, and Paul was somehow still competing with him. And if it wasn’t the pup, then it was bloodsucker. It was like Paul had phantoms of both men hovering over his shoulders every time he and Bella are together. Every single one of his actions is constantly being compared to theirs.

The warm feeling that had settled in Paul’s heart hardens into something cold and bitter.

“Let’s head to the beach,” he mutters, pulling away from her.

She’s still talking about the pup when they crawl out of the water and onto the sand. Paul can’t even bring himself to feign interest in what she’s saying. All he can think about is Jacob’s inevitable smug reaction when he realizes that even with an imprint Bella can’t go two seconds without bringing him up.

Once they’re out of the water, Bella starts to shiver. Goosebumps form along her arms and legs. Moving on instinct, Paul wraps an arm around her so that she can warm up against him.

They get dressed in silence. Paul steals glances at her as he tugs on his shorts, and when Bella catches his eyes, he can’t help but smile.

“I had a good day today,” Bella admits. 

Paul pulls his shirt on before he responds, “Me too,” he says. He tries not to think about Jacob, which means that’s the only person he thinks about.

Maybe this constant comparison between the two of them will stop if he tells her the truth about the Quileute wolves and why Jacob can’t see her. But what if she hears the truth and decides if she has to be with a wolf, she’d rather be with the baby alpha than him. After all, Jacob has a lot more going for him. He’s going to be alpha and a chief someday. Meanwhile Paul’s just the guy with the alcoholic father and the man-whore reputation.

Paul parks his truck in front of Bella’s house. 

No sign of the sheriff’s car.

Bella places a hand on his knee. “Do you want to come inside?” She asks.

He swallows. He should say no. He should go home, take a cold shower, and figure out how he’s supposed to deal with the fact that his imprint looks at him and sees another man.

“I’ll come inside for a second,” he says instead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella fucks up. Jacob & Paul have a bro moment.

Paul parks a street over in case the sheriff comes home early and then walks back to Bella’s house. His teeth worry his bottom lip the entire walk back. His stomach is a mix of excitement and anxiety. Part of him is still convinced that he should turn around and go home.

His worries slip from his mind when he steps inside the house, and Bella’s body melts against his. The door hasn’t even fully closed behind him, and she’s already sliding her hands beneath his shirt.

He lifts her up so that he can carry her upstairs and to her bedroom. Once they’re on the bed, he makes quick work of sliding her sundress up and over her head. 

She smiles up at him when he peels the damp fabric off her, and for a second, the expression on her face knocks the wind out of him. He discreetly pinches his thigh to make sure this isn’t a dream.

“Are you okay?” Bella whispers, as if she’s worried if she talks too loud it’ll break whatever magic has settled over them.

Paul nods his head, unable to force his mouth to form words. He isn’t sure what he would say to her even if he could speak. He isn’t like Jacob or the bloodsucker. He can’t say all those flowery things that make girls giggle. He’s just the guy that girls keep around for a good time.

He uses his right hand to cup her jaw so that he can press their lips together. Bella’s hands entwine themselves around Paul’s neck. She tugs him closer, angling his head so that they can deepen the kiss. God, he could spend hours just kissing her.

Bella’s hands unbutton the top of his shorts and his brain short circuits when she dips a hand inside. He moans into her mouth when her hand starts moving up and down. He can feel her smile in response, and he bites down on her bottom lip in retaliation. When she gasps, he dips his head down so he can suck a bruise into her collarbone.

He pulls away to admire his handiwork, mesmerized by the way the purple hickey stands out against her flesh.

“Is it huge?” Bella asks. She cranes her neck to try and look at the mark.

“Yes I am huge,” Paul teases as he tugs his top off.

Bella laughs, using her leg to softly kick him. Paul grabs her calf and lifts her leg so he can press a kiss to the inside of her knee. Her smile goes soft.

He hooks his hands around the waistband of her underwear and helps her wriggle them down her legs. Once they’re out the way, he bends down to kiss her hip. One of her hands rests on the crown of his head and he dips lower so he can lap at her entrance. The first lick has her letting out a breathy sigh. When he does it again, she tightens her grip on his hair and he already knows that she’s making that face he loves. He glances up and yup, there it is, mouth falling open and eyes squeezed shut.

He sucks her clit into his mouth, reveling in the way it makes her tremble. He could get addicted to the way she falls apart beneath him.

She tugs on his hair forcing him to lift his head.

“Come here,” she commands.

Paul crawls back up to her, slotting his lips over hers. Within seconds, his shorts are gone and he’s sliding into her. She arches up into him in response. He can feel every breath she takes, and it throws his nerves into overdrive when she wraps her legs around his waist so he can sink further into her.

“Bella,” he groans her name, unable to help it. Every time with her feels like the first. He can’t focus past the warmth of her wrapped around him.

“Shit, Bella,” he moans again.

Her nails dig into his back, and he shifts his angle, smiling when she gasps out in pleasure. Each thrust has her gripping onto him tighter. He throws one of her legs over his shoulder, and she tilts her head back.

“Jacob,” she moans.

Paul stills on top of her.

“What?”

Bella’s eyes snap open. They lock onto his, wide and terrified.

“Shoot, Paul, I’m–”

“Are you thinking about Jacob right now?” he asks.

“No, I wasn’t–”

“Then why did you say his name?” Paul yells, unable to control the outburst.

Bella flinches away from him.

Paul slides off the bed, grabbing his shorts and shirt. He puts them on without thinking. He can feel every cell in his body vibrating. 

“Paul, wait,” Bella climbs off the bed.

She grabs his arm, but he yanks it away.

“I need to go. I shouldn’t have come here,” Paul says.

“Paul, please.”

He squeezes his eyes shut as the tremors get worse. Each breath he can feel himself getting closer and closer to losing control. Fuck, he isn’t going to make out the door at this rate. But he can’t stay here, with Bella so close to him.

“Paul,” she reaches out again.

He dives for the window. With one final shudder, he can feel his body burst into wolf form. He lands on all fours and takes off into the woods without looking back.

“Paul?” Jared’s thoughts come barreling towards him. “I thought you were with Bella?”

At the sound of her name, the night’s events come rushing back to him in a blur. He can hear Jared sucking his teeth from miles away, and the feeling of pity comes hurtling at him. Paul tries to tie the thoughts down, but his emotions are too haywire. He can’t focus long enough to block out his thoughts from Jared.

There’s a familiar ripple down the pack bond and then the baby alpha himself is phased in with him. Before Paul even realizes what’s happening, he’s phasing back into his human form.

He sits down on the dirt, suddenly too tired to keep running. He’s such an idiot. He should’ve known better than to think he could compete with the fucking baby alpha. Of course, Bella is only with him because Jacob is unavailable.

Paul isn’t sure how long he’s sitting there but after a while, he hears a rustle in the trees behind him. Even without being in wolf form, he can recognize Jacob’s loud, steady heartbeat.

“Oh for fucks sake,” Paul mutters as the russet wolf steps out of the tree line.

Within moments Jacob is crouched in front of him in human form. He’s staring at Paul as if the older wolf is going to snap at any second.

“Jared told you,” Paul says.

The way Jacob winces is all Paul needs to know about the situation.

“You gonna rub it in my face?”

Jacob sits down next to Paul, so they don’t have to look each other in the eye.

“I’m not going to do that to you. You’re my brother, Paul,” Jacob says.

“The brother that imprinted on the love of your life.”

Jacob sighs. “Yeah, but I know you. You’re a good guy. I know you really care about her, and she really cares about you.”

“She called me your name during sex.”

“That sucks, man.”

They sit in silence for another moment. Each of them sitting in their own thoughts until Jacob speaks again:

“She  _ does _ care about you. I can see it,” Jacob says.

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Paul groans. 

He drags a hand across his face. Normally, the baby alpha would be the last person he opens up to, but the darkness makes him feel more comfortable talking about his feelings.

“Sometimes I feel like she’s just with me because she can’t be with you,” Paul says.

Jacob sighs. “You guys have been dating for a month and half. If she wasn’t into you, I doubt she would stick around.”

They sit together in silence for another few minutes before Paul eventually climbs to his feet.

“I should go pick up my car,” he mumbles.

Jacob tugs a pair of shorts from the bungee cord tied around his thigh and passes it to Paul. “Try not to show the neighborhood your ass.”

When Paul gets back to his car, he recognizes the sheriff’s own car parked in front of it. Charlie is leaning against the cab of the car, a cigarette balanced between on his lips. Fuck.

“Paul,” Charlie says. He waves with one hand.

“Sheriff,” Paul responds.

“You lose your shirt son?” He asks.

Paul shrugs and beats down the urge to fold his arms over his bare chest.

“You’ve been running around with my daughter for a while. Isn’t that right?” Charlie asks.

Paul shrugs again.

“The neighbors have been calling pretty frequently about the young man who’s been stopping by the house at all hours of the night.”

Charlie offers the cigarette to Paul, who shakes his head no.

“Next time you come by the house, make sure I’m home,” Charlie says.

Paul watches the sheriff get into his car and drive around the corner towards his house. He wonders if he should've told the sheriff that it’s unlikely he’ll be coming around the house anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long ass chapter.

Bella’s mind has been whirring nonstop since Paul leapt out of her bedroom window two weeks ago. She can’t go five seconds without replaying the moment she accidentally let Jacob’s name slip from her lips. Paul’s face had gone from blissful to shocked to angry.

_ “I shouldn’t have come here.” _

Bella had watched, horrified, as he started shaking. His anger was so big it filled the room and nothing she said could fix it. Every word just made the situation worse. She felt helpless, watching him tear himself away from her before he went barreling out the window.

Then there’s the moment that followed, the moment where he had transformed, shaking so hard that his skin melted away and fur burst forth in its place. The entire process took seconds, but to Bella, it had felt like a lifetime.

Now, she can’t stop herself from reliving those moments.

She sits on her front porch with her cell phone in hand debating whether or not she should call him. What would she even say if he picked up the phone? Sorry I called out the wrong name during sex and it made you so mad you turned into a wolf?

Bella groans and buries her face in her hands.

“Why do I have awful luck with guys?” she huffs.

“Your luck can’t be that bad,” a familiar voice jokes.

Bella lifts her head, shocked to see Jacob standing on the bottom step of her front porch as if he’d materialized out of thin air. Looking at Jacob now is like seeing his reflection in a funhouse mirror. The last time she saw him this close, he was only a few inches taller than her and was so lanky a strong wind could knock him down. Now, he’s well over six feet and has the kind of muscles that Bella normally associates with professional athletes.

Jacob settles beside her, and Bella is shocked by how unfamiliar he seems.

“What are you doing here?” She asks. Part of her hopes that he’s stopping by to hang out like old times, but another part of her is more wary. If he wanted to see her, why did he wait so long?

Jacob sighs and runs a hand over his buzzed head. “Paul told me you guys were fighting.”

Bella isn’t sure how to react to that information. She used to fantasize about how it would feel when she could see Jacob realize how close and Paul were. The thought of his jealousy and rage used to fill her with a sick satisfaction.

Now that he’s actually here, looking at her with those big pitiful eyes, she just has the urge to cry.

“He told you that we were fighting,” Bella says.

Jacob’s face pinches.

“Oh my God,” Bella groans. She buries her face in her hands. “He told you exactly what happened didn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Jacob says.

Bella lets out another groan.

“Do you- uh- want to talk about it?” He asks.

Bella drops her hands, so she can look at Jacob. Her face is twisted into a horrified expression.

“You’ve been ignoring me for months, and now that I’ve accidentally said your name during sex, you want to talk me?” She hisses. The mortification washes away into anger.

“I wasn’t allowed–”

“Jacob you were my best friend, and you ghosted me once you made new ones,” she screams.

“Bella, I–”

“Do you know how it feels to be abandoned by the one person you thought you could trust?”

There’s a heavy silence when she’s finished yelling. She isn’t sure whether she wants to hit him or scream or cry. There’s too many emotions swirling around inside of her, and she doesn’t know which one is going to surface next.

“I’m sorry,” Jacob says. “I haven’t been a good friend, but I’m here now. I want to be here for you, Bells.”

Bella nods her head. She isn’t sure if she truly believes him, but she doesn’t have the energy to fight anymore.

“Everything is just a mess,” Bella admits. “Has Paul said anything else about me?”

Jacob shrugs. “No, he’s pretty good about keeping his thoughts to himself. After he told me what happened, he stopped talking about it.”

“He’s probably still mad at me.”

“Can I ask you something?” Jacob asks.

Bella shrugs.

“Why did you say my name? Did you want it to be me?” Jacob asks her, his voice soft.

Bella looks at him. Her eyes track over his features, his thick, heavy brows and gentle eyes. She follows the soft curve of his nose before landing on his lips. Even though he’s changed, everything about him still feels comforting.

It’s easy for her to imagine the two of them together. They could go back to spending weekends at each other’s house. He’ll take her on bike rides, listen to her talk about her problems, and watch awful movies with her on her sofa.

Still, he doesn’t have that raunchy humor that she secretly loves. He doesn’t make sarcastic barbs that startle a laugh out of her. And he doesn’t have a laugh that sends jolts of electricity shooting up and down her spine.

“I thought I did,” Bella whispers.

“But you don’t want that anymore,” Jacob says, knowingly.

“I just miss him,” she says.

Jacob puts an arm around her shoulders to pull her close. “Yeah, he misses you too.”

Bella settles into his side. Jacob’s skin is hot against hers, almost feeling feverish despite the chilly morning air.

“You and Paul are always so warm,” she murmurs.

She pauses, remembering the other ways he and Paul are similar. The same bulky builds, despite never working out, buzzed haircuts, and creepy strength. Her mind flashes back to Paul’s body twisting and transforming into a wolf.

“Jacob, you said you weren’t allowed to hang out with me,” Bella says.

“Yeah, I wasn’t. I was going through some things, and my dad and Sam thought it was safer if I spent some time away from everyone.”

Bella can hear her heart pounding in her ears as the information slides into place. She remembers suddenly the night she and Jacob had gone to a bonfire together and how she’d heard the stories of the cold ones and the protectors: the vampires and the wolves.

“Is it because you’re a wolf?” Bella whispers, almost scared to hear the answer.

Jacob tenses beside her for a second. “Did Paul tell you that?” He asks.

Bella shakes her head. So then Paul and Jacob and everyone else around Sam were wolves.

“I saw Paul change after he jumped out of my window,” Bella admits.

Jacob snorts. “Of course you did,” he mumbles. He hums softly to himself, his eyes focusing on something in the distance. After a moment, his lips quirk up into a smile.

“You should come to La Push today. We’re having a bonfire,” Jacob says. His voice suddenly sounds cheery and his eyes have that twinkle that let’s Bella know that he’s up to no good.

“Who’s we?” She asks.

“The whole pack.”

“Can you invite me to a pack event?” Bella asks.

“You’re basically pack,” Jacob says, that irritating smile still on his face.

Bella lifts an eyebrow. She doubts that Sam Uley will welcome her into the pack bonfire just because she used to hang out with Paul and is close friends with Jacob. She wants to say all this to him, but a bigger part of her wants to go to the bonfire. She wants to see Paul again.

“Fine,” she says.

She grabs her car keys and settles into her truck, her heart hammering in her chest. Jacob slides into the passenger seat looking unbothered and a little pleased with himself. Bella isn’t sure how he can be so confident when she feels like she’s seconds away from throwing up.

When she pulls into the beach parking lot, she can feel her hands shaking. In the distance, she can see the rest of the guys already on the beach, piling up driftwood for the fire. She wonders if Paul is there, and how he’ll react when he sees her.

She’s about to put the car in reverse and peel out of the parking lot, when Jacob settles his hand on top of hers.

“Trust me,” he says.

Bella takes a shaky breath then nods her head. She can do that. She can trust him.

She lets Jacob lead her down the beach. The entire walk she obsesses over what she’ll say to Paul when she sees him. What could she possibly say to get him to talk to her again? Would any combination of words be enough to express how sorry she was for what she did?

When Bella and Jacob approach the group, everyone falls silent. All their eyes land on her. Most look shocked, their eyebrows lifting when they spot her and Jacob together. The only one who doesn’t look surprised is Sam, who's looking at her with a more wary expression. She wonders if all of them know about her and Paul.

“Hey, Bella,” Embry says, his voice coming out slow and hesitant.

She smiles and waves, shocked for a moment when she recognizes Quil standing next to him. He’s bigger than he was the last time she saw him, meaning he must’ve become a wolf recently.

“Jacob, can we talk?” Sam asks, his eyes still on Bella.

“Yeah, man,” Jacob says. He flashes Sam a smile, one-hundred percent relaxed despite the tense atmosphere.

Bella moves closer to Embry and Quil. She’s too nervous to try and talk to Jared, who’s looking at her as if she's a confusing puzzle. Besides, she knows that Jared is Paul’s best friend, which means he might also know about the sex-Jacob-wolf incident.

“So where’s Paul?” Bella asks them. She hasn’t spotted him, but he might be running late.

“Oh, he’s running,” Embry says.

He drops an arm across Bella’s shoulders and leads her to a chair near the fire. Quil joins them, although he still looks a little wary.

“I hear there’s trouble in paradise,” Embry says waggling his eyebrows.

Bella can feel her face flush. Does everyone know that she called Paul by Jacob’s name?

“Leave it alone Embry. Bella isn’t going to tell you why she and Paul are arguing,” Jacob says. He purposefully sits between her and Embry.

Bella reaches out and squeezes her hand, grateful for the intervention.

As the sun sinks lower in the sky, more people start to come out. Two women, one with three jagged scars across her face, arrive with trays of food. Sam embraces the one with scars before tilting her face up so he can kiss her forehead. Bella feels her own heart twist at the sight, and she wonders again when Paul will arrive.

The other girl comes over to the fire, waving at the group before settling down next to Jared.

“Hey Kim, have you met Bella?” Jacob asks her.

Bella can feel her face heat up for the thousandth time. Despite Jacob’s insistence that she’s welcome at the bonfire, she can’t help but feel awkward and out of place.

“Hey,” Bella murmurs, lifting her hand in an awkward greeting.

Kim straightens up when Bella waves, and her lips spread into a wide smile. “Oh, you’re Paul’s–”

Jared bumps his shoulder against hers, cutting off her sentence before she can finish it. She looks at him, her eyebrows narrowed, but he just shakes his head. Kim rolls her eyes in response then turns back to Bella.

“It’s nice to meet you. We can use more girls around here,” she says.

Bella can’t help the smile that comes to her face. Kim is the first person who looks genuinely happy to see her. She’s about to say something else, when she hears someone else approach the group.

She turns her head, her breath catching when she sees Paul stepping out of the trees. He freezes when he catches sight of her. She watches his jaw clench and unclench before he turns and walks over to Sam and the other woman.

Jacob is suddenly on his feet, “Hey Emily,” he calls out.

Sam, the woman, and Paul all turn to look at him. Before Bella can tell him to sit down, Jacob grabs her arm and tugs over to the three of them.

“Jacob, what are you doing?” She asks, horrified.

He ignores her, plastering a smile onto his face as if he’s oblivious to the murderous expression that Paul’s sending him.

“Emily have you met Bella?” Jacob asks.

Emily smiles, but she looks nervous, her eyes flitting back and forth between Bella and Paul as i if they’re a ticking time bomb.

“Hello, Bella,” she eventually says.

“Jacob–” Sam says, his voice flat.

Jacob turns to Paul, still smiling as if nothing’s wrong. “I’m going to take over Embry’s shift. You can keep Bella company, right?” he asks.

Paul’s jaw clenches, and his hands tighten into fists at his sides. He looks like he’s seconds away from punching Jacob.

“Listen, pup,” Paul starts, but Jacob is already jogging away from him and heading to the trees. Paul looks like he’s going to chase Jacob down, but Sam grabs his shoulder to stop him.

Paul and Sam exchange a look, and something must pass between them because eventually Paul’s shoulders drop and he nods his head. Sam gives Bella a reassuring smile before leading Emily over to the fire.

Paul looks like he’s going to join them, but Bella reaches out to grab his hand. He turns to look at her, and she can feel her heart flutter when they lock eyes again.

“Can we talk?” She asks, her voice coming out as a whisper.

He nods his head, then curls his fingers around hers so he can lead her further down the beach and away from his pack. Once they’re closer to the water, he gestures for her to talk. She waits for him to look at her, but he keeps his eyes fixed on the water.

“I’m sorry,” she says.

She watches his eyes drift shut.

“I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to forget about how hurt I was, and that wasn’t fair to you. I understand if you never want to see me again, but I just–” she swallows around a lump in her throat “–I really care about you Paul. Nobody makes me feel like you do.”

Paul’s fingers squeeze hers as a shudder goes down his body. He opens his eyes, and Bella feels pinned by the intensity of his gaze.

“Bella, I–”

A howl pierces through the air, loud and frantic. Paul curses. His grip tightens on her hand, and before she can react, he’s tugging her back towards the bonfire.

“What’s going on?” Bella asks. She’s struggling to keep up with Paul’s pace, but he refuses to slow down.

Back at the bonfire, things are hectic. Sam is shouting commands at everyone, someone’s pouring water on the bonfire, and Jared, Embry and Quil are sprinting towards the woods, shedding clothes as they go.

“Paul?” Bella asks.

Sam tugs Emily in for a frantic kiss and then he’s running off too.

Emily turns towards Paul, her eyes wide and scared. Paul grabs her arm in his other hand, leading her back to the parking lot. Kim falls into step beside them, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

“Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?” Bella asks, she can’t beat back the panic that’s clawing at her.

Nobody answers her. They just keep moving until they reach Emily’s car.

“Is everything okay?” Bella asks again.

“No,” Paul bites out.

His body is shaking, and his eyes keep flitting back and forth from the road to the trees around them. By the time they reach Emily’s house, his shaking has gotten worse. He looks like he’s second away from bursting out of his skin.

“Stay inside, don’t answer the door for anyone,” Paul bites out.

He turns to the trees, but Bella follows him.

“Paul, you have to tell me what’s going on,” she insists.

“Emily can tell you. I just need you to go inside,” he says. He sounds frantic, and his tone is sending Bella’s nerves into overdrive.

“Is this a wolf thing?” she asks.

Paul grabs her shoulders and bends down so that they’re eye-to-eye. Bella realizes this is the first time she’s seen him look scared.

“There’s a vampire in the woods, Bella. I need you to go in the house, and stay there until I tell you it’s safe,” he says.

“A vampire? Like the Cullens?” she asks.

He shakes his head. “Worse than them.” He presses his forehead against his, his eyes falling closed. She can feel him take a shaky breath. “Baby, please, I just need you to stay inside.”

Bella’s hands reach up so they can cup his jaw. Her thumbs ghost over his face, lingering on his lips. She leans in to kiss him, pouring every emotion she’s feeling into hit. He groans into her mouth, his grip on her tightening. He pulls away too soon, and dread washes over her.

“Be careful,” she says, and then he’s gone.

Inside the house, everyone’s nerves are on edge. Kim sits on the sofa biting her nails while Emily paces back and forth in the kitchen. Bella joins Emily in the kitchen, standing by the window she can peer out of it.

“Is it always like this?” she asks after what feels like an eternity of silence.

Emily lets out a shaky laugh. “It’s always nerve wracking, but vampires normally don’t come this close to La Push.”

Bella nods her head. She grips the edge of the windowsill to stop her hands from shaking. Every second that ticks by she imagines the worst. What if they can’t stop the vampire? What if it kills one of them? The thought sends a wave of nausea crashing over her.

She’s seconds away from joining Kim in the living room when a wolf comes flying through the trees. She’s on her feet in seconds, barreling out of the backdoor to see who it is. The wolf gives a full body shake then Jacob is jogging through the lawn, naked and wide-eyed.

“Jacob is everything okay?” She asks.

He ignores her, pushing his way into the house. He sweeps his arm across the kitchen table, knocking everything off it.

“Jacob,” Emily cries out.

There are more footsteps on the back porch as Embry and Quil rush in. Embry glances at Bella then blanches.

“You might want to wait in the living room,” He says.

“Why?” Bella demands.

Outside, there’s a low and pitiful groan. Bella can feel her blood run cold. She would know that voice anywhere. She steps towards the door, but someone’s grabbing her arm to stop her.

“Let’s go out front,” Jacob says, from his tone of voice she knows it’s not a suggestion.

“What’s going on?” Bella asks again. She doesn’t care what happens next, she isn’t leaving until she gets some answers.

“It’s Paul,” Jacob says. 

Bella’s knees buckle and she grabs onto the back of a chair for support.

“Let’s go out front,” Jacob says again, voice softer this time.

Bella shakes her head “Where is he? I need to see him.”

As if on cue, she hears a low pitiful howl. Bella’s feet are on auto pilot carrying her to the backdoor where she can see Jared and Sam carrying Paul in their arms. He’s covered in dirt and sweat and blood, his eyes glassy with pain. When the three of them get closer, Bella can see that Paul’s left leg has been mangled. There are 5 jagged scars going down the entirety of the limb, cutting so deep in some places that she can see bone.

Bella covers her mouth with her hand. She isn’t sure if it’s to hold back the vomit that’s clawing its way up her throat or to hold back a sob.

“Maybe you should go outside,” Sam suggests as they lower Paul onto the table. 

“I’m not leaving,” she says, voice shaking.

“Bella this isn’t going to be pretty. His leg is healing wrong, we have to rebreak it,” Jacob warns her.

She bites her lip. Despite the commotion around her, she can’t take her eyes off Paul. His eyes are roaming around the room as if he’s in too much pain to focus.

“I’m not leaving him,” she says.

Sam looks like he wants to protest, but Jared speaks up first.

“She has a right to be here. Let’s stop wasting time and let’s fix Paul,” he says.

Sam clamps his lips shut and nods his head. His hands grab Paul’s injured leg, and then–

Bella closes her eyes as a loud snap echoes around the room. Paul lets out another agonizing howl, and she can feel her chest constrict at the sound. 

When she opens her eyes again, the room has emptied out. She, Sam, Emily and Jacob are alone with Paul still lying on the table. His leg looks slightly better than before, but the massive cuts are still slowly oozing blood all over the mahogany.

“Is he going to be okay?” She asks, her voice shaking. Aside from the leg, she can’t see any other cuts or bruises on his body.

Paul’s eyes slide open, and he looks at her.

“I’m okay,” he croaks.

He reaches a hand out to her, and she grabs it, letting him pull her close.

“I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay,” he says it again and again and again, ending each statement by pressing a kiss to her lips. His thumb brushes her cheek, brushing away tears that she didn’t know she shed.

“Let’s give them some privacy,” Sam says. He turns to Paul and adds, “You guys can crash in the spare room tonight.”

Once they’re alone, Paul pushes himself into a sitting position. Bella calls out, ready to tell him not to move, but the deep gashes that had mangled his left leg are already gone. The only evidence that he’d even been injured are four, pink puckered lines that are already starting to disappear.

“What happened to your leg?” Bella asks. Her hand hovers over the skin, scared to touch it in case her eyes are playing tricks on her.

“I heal fast,” he replies.

He slides off the table. Despite his left leg looking healed, Bella notices that he keeps most of his weight on his right leg. She helps him hobble to the bathroom where he turns on the water for the shower.

“I should wait outside,” Bella suggests.

Paul looks at her, something heavy in his eyes. “Join me,” he says.

Without thinking, Bella sheds her clothes and follows him into the steamy water. Now that she’s near Paul again, she can’t keep her hands off him. She runs her hands over his chest and arms, checking to make sure he’s really there.

His hands travel down the curve of her back before dipping down to cup her ass. The action makes her suck in a breath of air, and Paul leans down to rest his forehead in the crook of her neck. He takes a shaky breath, his grip on her momentarily tightening.

“I was worried about you,” Bella murmurs into his skin.

Paul hums in response, his lips brushing against her shoulder as he starts to speak, “I was worried about you too. I was terrified the vampire would find its way onto the reservation and...”

His words trail off. The silence settles over them, and Bella thinks about the worst-case scenario. She isn’t sure if she would still be standing if Paul didn’t come back tonight and the vampire got to him. She tilts her head back so she can look him in the eyes, and she knows that he’s thinking the same thing.

“I think I’m in love with you,” she whispers.

The words terrify her. Before him, she thought she was in love with Edward. She loved the idea of a beautiful vampire being in love with her. She loved how he and his family were perfect, and how they were willing to change her so she could become perfect too.

It’s different with Paul. He isn’t perfect. He’s a hot head, he snores, and he loves causing trouble. But she never feels less-than with him, and she doesn’t feel like she has to change to be with him.

Paul rests his hand on the nape of her neck. He gently pulls her forward until their lips are centimeters apart. Bella feels like every inch of her skin is on fire.

“I think I’m in love with you too,” he whispers.

His lips meet hers, and she’s positive that she’s going to combust.

“The hot water is going to run out,” she reminds him when they finally part for air.

He laughs. “We should save some for Sam and Emily.”

He bites his lip, and she knows from the look in his eyes that he could stand in this water with her forever, Emily and Sam be damned. Eventually, he grabs the shampoo bottle.

“Turn around,” he murmurs, his voice low.

She follows his direction, her skin pebbling once she’s no longer under the water. She hears him squeeze shampoo out the bottle then he’s lathering up her hair. His fingernails scratch her scalp, and she sighs, her eyes fluttering closed. She loses herself in the sensations, mesmerized by the circles he’s massaging into her scalp.

He guides her back under the water. One of his hands rests against her forehead to keep soap from going into her eyes while the other rinses the shampoo out.

When he’s done, he pours bath gel onto a washcloth before dragging it across her body. He takes his time washing her. Each touch is gentle as if he’s terrified that she’ll break or disappear. When he finishes, she does the same for him. Carefully washing the blood and dirt from his body.

They tumble out of the shower and wrap themselves in towels before stumbling into Emily and Sam’s spare bedroom. Paul curls around her in the bed, and Bella thinks for a moment that they fit perfectly together.

“You know,” Bella murmurs in the dark, “I think this is the first time we’ve spent the night together without sex.”

Paul hums. “I could do something about that,” he jokes.

“Maybe later,” she responds, her eyelids are already growing heavy.

“Later then,” Paul agrees.

In the dark, his hand finds hers, and she falls asleep with a smile.


End file.
